1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frame and a support and wear element for an in-line roller skate frame adapted to be inserted between two lateral flanks of the frame and between two adjacent wheels, generally the middle; wheels, for practicing a so-called "aggressive" skating and, more specifically, for ensuring the transverse sliding of the skate on a longilinear element.
Such elements enable making figures or practicing sliding, for example, on stairway railings, rails, etc.
2. Description of Background and Material Information
Support and wear elements of the aforementioned type are known and are constituted of a block with a substantially parallelepipedical shape having, in the longitudinal direction, two surfaces in the form of a cylinder portion allowing for the passage of the adjacent wheels.
Such a wear element is known to be attached to the frame by means of a horizontal screw, transversely extending through both the lateral flanks of the frame and the element itself in order to integrate the assembly.
Furthermore, the wear element has, also as known, at its lower end, a substantially horizontal support surface aligned with the lower edges of the lateral flanges.
Even though the latter are also connected together by the axles of a plurality of in-line wheels, experiments prove nonetheless that the practice of such a sport in the aforementioned conditions causes progressive wear, not only of the wear element on its lateral edges in the transverse direction, but also of the lower edges of the lateral flanges. This has the long-term result of the support surface being reduced to a mere ridge.
This drawback was previously resolved by the Applicant who proposed a support and wear element equipped, on the side of its end adapted to serve as a support surface, with a longitudinal slot allowing to eliminate the central ridge due to wear and to still guarantee the presence of at least two lateral support surfaces.
However, usage has also revealed another problem in that the lower edges of the lateral flanges not only wear out but also tear away due to the violence of the impacts associated with this type of sport, since it is on these edges of the flanges that the angles are attacked in one direction or in the other.
This is easily understood in that the attachment of the support and wear element is obtained only by a horizontal screw extending transversely through the lateral flanges and the support element at a certain distance from the lower edges of these flanges.
One could have envisioned solving this problem by displacing this horizontal screw as far down as possible, so as to consolidate the linkage of the flanges near their lower edges, but it is easily understood that in that case, the margin for wear of the support element is notably limited, since the previously mentioned horizontal screw will be quickly reached.